Outer Limits
by leapylion3
Summary: ESB-era AU. Sequel to Where it all Began: /s/7267046/1/Where it all Began
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The cold air of Hoth whipped my face, my hair flying everywhere. It's been three years since Yavin, and since I last wrote to you; miss me? So here I was, on the Outer Rim planet of Hoth, freezing my ass off on a tauntaun. It had already been two weeks since arriving on the ice planet, and I was _sure _I'd be used to it by now. Growing up on Tatooine, I was accustomed to extreme weather. Not the extreme _cold_, apparently.

The only thing I could think about was being wrapped in Han's warm arms. Too bad he was away on a supply trip. Two weeks here, and he left already. But he was coming back today, and that was the only thing that kept me going. In a few hours, I would see him. And that was all that mattered.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Leia!" Luke waved, walking into the cafeteria. My mood instantly became better. During the past three years, he and I had become unbelievably close. He was my best friend, and practically like a brother to me. I know Han was sometimes jealous of our relationship; it was a ridiculous thought. Still, it was <em>very<em> fun seeing my boyfriend get jealous over Organa.

"Hi!" I smiled back, gesturing for him to come sit with me. He happily obliged, bouncing towards me. That kid was always so happy. His good mood was contagious. "How are you?" I asked casually, taking a sip of my kaffe.

"Not bad, you?"

"Good, thanks,"

"Han's coming back today," The prince said nonchalantly, reaching over and grabbing my mug. He took a big sip, ignoring my protests. "You gonna tell him?"

"Tell him what?" I played dumb, stabbing my stew with my fork.

"That you love him! For God's sake, Leia!" Luke groaned and rolled his eyes, propping his feet on the table. "You've been together for, what, three years now?" I nodded my head once. "So tell him, Kriff!"

"I can't," I muttered, stealing the mug of kaffe from my best friend.

"And why is that?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"I'm scared!" I admitted, my cheeks turning a dark red. "I'm scared that he doesn't love me back!"

"Leia," He began, putting his feet back on the floor. "Listen, he's been with you for three years. I've seen the way he looks at you," Luke reached over and squeezed my hand, a small smile on his face. "He loves you. Trust me," Letting go of my hands, he leaned back in his chair. "Have you guys-"

"_Luke_!" I scolded, louder than I would have liked. I drew the attention from many of the other people in the cafeteria, making Organa throw his head back with laughter. I shrunk back into my seat, hoping the people would stop staring. They eventually looked away, giving me the perfect chance to slap Luke across the face.

"What the hell was that for?" He hissed, his eyebrows furrowing. He pouted, looking like a little boy.

"For being a twit!" I countered. Lowering my voice, I added, "You deserved it!"

* * *

><p>"Leia!" Han exclaimed, jogging down the ramp of the Falcon. It was in the same condition as it was three years ago; crap. But hey, he loved it. And I knew better than to make fun of his ship. He swept me into his arms, a huge grin on his face. "I missed you," He murmured, brushing a strand of hair from my face. Solo leaned in and gently kissed my lips, pulling me closer by the waist.<p>

"Han, there's something I wanted to tell you," I said slowly, ending the kiss.

His expression was a mix of worry, confusion and…hurt? "Leia, are you-?"

"Am I what?" I pressed, urging him to explain.

"Are you breaking up with me?"

My jaw dropped open. "N-no! Of course not!" I took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say-"

[Skywalker!] Chewie howled happily, dragging me out of Han's arms and into his tight hug. [How are you?]

"I'm fine…you?" I replied, awkwardly shifting my weight from one foot to the other.

[Good, good!] He roared his goodbyes, and walked back up the ramp.

"So, what'd you wanna tell me?" Han asked cautiously.

"You know what?" I bit my lip, avoiding his gaze. "Now's not a good time. I…I'll see you later, okay?"

* * *

><p>We hadn't talked for a whole week. It was pure and utter <em>torture<em>. Every time we'd run into each other, it would be plain awkward. He tried to comm me a couple of times, but I didn't bother answering; I was too embarrassed.

A knock on my door woke me up. I really shouldn't have been sleeping at all; it was just after lunchtime. "Leia?" Luke's voice called.

"It's open," I mumbled back, throwing on my robe.

His nose wrinkled the second he saw me. "You look terrible,"

"Gee, thanks," I rolled my eyes, throwing my pillow at his face.

"I talked to Han," He told me, sitting down on the bed next to me. "Which I did for _you_, I might add,"

"And?"

"He wants you to meet him on the Falcon tonight for dinner," The prince leaned against the wall and twiddled his thumbs. "I think you should go,"

"Yeah, right," I snorted, rolling on my back.

"You can finally tell him you love him!" He protested. "And who knows…you might get lucky," He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

I stifled my laughter and settled for covering my face with my pillow. "Why am I even friends with you?"

* * *

><p>"How do I look?" I looked at the prince hopefully, smoothing out my tunic. I had settled on a pair of black leggings, knee high black boots and a gray, long-sleeved blouse, which was showing a tad bit too much cleavage, in my opinion.<p>

Organa responded with a low, wolf-whistle. "Not bad…not bad at all, actually," He pushed himself off my bunk and playfully punched me in the arm. He winked a blue eye at me. "Go get him, tiger."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

I hesitantly walked up to the Falcon; the entire hangar bay was practically deserted, with no sign of any of the pilots. It _was _pretty late, yet there'd usually still be a few pilots at this hour. I only saw a few of the guards on duty, but apart from them, nothing.

Even with the doors closed, the chilly Hoth air made its way inside the base. I pulled my cloak tighter around my small body. My breath came out in a shudder, my fingers feeling as if they were going to fall off at any given moment. With a deep breath, I walked up the ramp of the Millennium Falcon, silently bracing myself for the argument that I had expected.

"Han?" I quietly called out, the warmth of the freighter instantly soothing me.

"In here," He answered from the galley. Slipping off my boots and cloak, I padded towards the kitchen, a huge knot in my stomach. "Hi," Solo smiled warmly at me as I entered the small room. His smile was reassuring, and relaxed me slightly, but I was still agitated. What if I screwed things up between us?

"Hi," A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. I crossed my arms over my chest, still cold from the long walk to the ship. "How are you?" I asked casually, dipping my finger in the hot homemade stew.

"Better, now that you're here," Han told me, swatting my hand away from the dish. I knew he really hatedpeople messing with his food, and it was just so much _fun _annoying him. "How about you?"

"I'm alright," I nodded my head, leaning against the counter.

"You look great, by the way," He grinned lopsidedly at me, making my heart skip a beat. Three years with him, and I still couldn't control that.

"Thanks," My cheeks turned a faint pink, the blush spreading to my neck as his eyes traveled down the length of my body.

"You cold?" He asked, his eyes suddenly back on mine.

"Very," I admitted sheepishly. He reached over and turned up the thermostat, his arm purposely brushing up against mine. The room grew warmer, the color slowly returning to my fingers.

"I've missed you," He murmured after a few moments of silence.

"I was never gone,"

"It seemed like you were," He abruptly snapped. I caught a flash of anger in his hazel eyes, but it was gone in a second. "Leia…you know you can tell me anything," His voice lowered, his rage evaporating.

"I know," I whispered, a tear rolling down my cheek. I quickly turned away and wiped at my eyes fiercely. If there was one thing I hated, it was when people saw me cry. I wasn't even sure why I was crying in the first place. It's not like I told him I loved him, and he rejected me.

Oh, _gods_, what if he rejected me?

I slid to the floor, landing hard on my bottom, my sobs coming openly now. I buried my face in my hands, Han immediately sitting next to me and wrapping me in his strong arms. He stroked my back and kissed my hair, my forehead, my nose, every one of my tears. He wiped my cheeks with his thumbs, leaned in and gently kissed my lips. "I hate seeing you cry,"

"I'm sorry, Han!" I cried, leaning against his shoulder for support.

"For what?"

"Just…for everything!"

"Leia, you don't have to apologize for _anything_-" I cut him off with a searing kiss, my fingers running and tangling through his shaggy, scruffy brown hair and pulling him as close as possible. Gods, it's been too long. I almost whimpered in protest when he pulled away. "What was that for?"

"I love you, Han!" I blurted out, another wave of tears threatening to come.

"I know," Solo leaned in and kissed me passionately, pulling me into his lap. "I love you, Leia," His lips met mine once more in a warm, loving kiss. We could have stayed like that all day, but the smoke alarms finally brought us back to reality.

"Kriff!" I gasped, climbing off his lap and hopping up onto the counter, desperately trying to reach the smoke alarm. He jumped up and grabbed the fire extinguisher, flicking off the stove. The beeping stopped, the small fire turning into smoke. I slid off the counter and collapsed on the floor, suddenly feeling extremely giddy. He loved me! Han Solo loved me! I fell into a fit of laughter, Han's quizzical looks amusing me even further.

"Leia, what's so damned funny?"

I stopped laughing to look up at him, my eyes wide with glee. "You love me,"

"That's funny to you?" I saw a hint of a smile pass across his face.

"No, it's just…I never thought anyone would."

* * *

><p>Somehow, sometime after supper, we had ended up inside his cabin. I had a slight suspicion of what would happen next, although I knew he would never force me to do anything I didn't want to. I wanted this…didn't I? Yes, of <em>course <em>I did. We've been together for three years, and we haven't 'done it' yet. And we loved each other. I loved him more than anything. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He was the only one for me.

But I wasn't prepared to tell him that much.

"Are we really going to do this?" I heard myself ask. I internally cursed; _way to go, Leia_.

"Only if you want to," He tried to make his reply was nonchalant, but I picked up the tone of desperation in his voice. He wanted this, I knew.

"I do," I breathed, tilting my chin up to meet his lips in another kiss. He held me close to him by my waist, his legs straddling me. His tongue parted my lips while his fingers worked on the buttons of my blouse. He trailed his lips along my jaw line, to my earlobe and down my neck, evoking a moan from me. I pulled his shirttails from his pants, and tried to unbutton his shirt with trembling fingers.

"You're trembling," Solo smiled lopsidedly, nuzzling my neck.

"I'm nervous," I laughed weakly and shakily.

"Don't be," He softly kissed my lips. I felt lightheaded; gods, he was a good kisser.

A small thought came to mind; _won't Luke be happy…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

I rolled out of Han's bunk, reaching for my bra and underwear. I was due for a meeting with General Rieekan and Luke in a couple of hours, and I didn't want to be late. Actually, Han had to attend, also. Organa had hinted that it was important. A part of me hoped they weren't going to send Solo off on another mission; I just got him back, and I didn't want to lose him again.

I pulled on my trousers and slipped on my blouse, quietly walking to the galley. I started a pot of kaffe, the lovely smell awakening me. I rummaged through the cooling unit and cabinets; no wonder why Chewie always left the ship at meal time. Han had almost no food, the only items in his fridge several bottles of whisky and ale. That man was unbelievable.

After washing up, I decided to leave a small flimsy note next to Solo on the bed, telling him I was going to the caf to pick up some food. I smiled at his incredibly scruffy appearance. Never did I think I'd fall in love with a scoundrel.

_Going to pick up some food. I'll be back soon._

_Love, Leia._

_P.S. Do me a favour and shave, you nerfherder._

* * *

><p>"Hey, Leia!" Luke chirped, waving from the kaffe machine. I smiled and waved back. How the hell could he be so alert at 0600 in the morning? He bounded over towards me, a warm cup of kaf in his gloved hands. "How are you?"<p>

I sighed happily. "Great, actually," I grabbed a few pastries and put them in a paper bag.

He lowered his voice, a suggestive smile on his face. "How did last night go?"

I rolled my eyes, filling up a mug of hot chocolate. "If you must know, it was very…_pleasant_,"

He must have noticed my reddening cheeks. "So there was sex involved, right?" My best friend grinned widely.

"_Luke_!" I swatted his hand away as he tried to steal a pastry.

"What? It was a simple question!" Organa protested, holding his hands up in defence. He tried in vain to hide his grin. "And judging from your expression, I shouldn't even have to ask," Luke slipped past me, winking at me over his shoulder.

Was it really that obvious?

* * *

><p>"Han, you awake?" I called softly, depositing the bag of food on the kitchen counter. No response. I strained my Jedi hearing enhancement technique (which, I'll admit, was still rather underdeveloped) and I heard the shower running, so I figured he was in there and he couldn't hear me.<p>

"Mornin', sweetheart," Han entered the galley a few minutes later. He bent down to kiss my cheek.

"Hey, you shaved!" I teased, beaming.

"Anything for my favourite girl," He winked.

"_Only _girl," I corrected, sticking my tongue at him.

"Of course," Han grinned, sitting in the chair across from me.

My lips twisted into a smile. "Better be."

* * *

><p>"Thank you for coming today," Carlist began, bowing his head. Han, Luke and I nodded in response. The general cleared his throat and sat down across from the three of us. "As you know, the Alliance is short on funds, due to the Empire's many blockades over planets with us Rebels,"<p>

"And what do you expect us to do?" Han asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow.

"I was just getting to that, Captain Solo," Rieekan offered him a small smile. Carlist was one of the only high command officers that I actually liked; he wouldn't judge anybody from appearance or from their background. Unlike, say, Mon Mothma, who pretty much _hates _Han. "The Alliance is sending you and Leia to Ord Mantell; we have a secret stash of funds there that we desperately need at this moment,"

"What about Luke?" I interjected, glancing at my best friend out of the corner of my eye.

"I'm not going because you two have to act as a married couple," Luke said smugly, leaning back in his seat. Han and I exchanged a look of mild confusion.

"Let me explain," Rieekan smiled, steepling his fingers. "The Empire is searching for Leia Skywalker and Han Solo the most out of us Rebels- apart from Prince Organa, of course. Am I correct?" We nodded in response. "However, the Empire is _not _searching for newlyweds Tyrsh and Lunah Elqus," Carlist tossed a couple of fake IDs and passports onto the table.

"Why are you choosing Han and I?" I asked out of pure curiosity.

"Simple; you're a Jedi and you need a pilot to get you there,"

"And you guys act as if you're married already," Luke teased. He winced as my foot made contact with his shin under the table.

"When do we leave?" Han questioned, seemingly oblivious to Organa's curses.

"As soon as possible," General Rieekan answered firmly.

Solo looked at me, before turning back to the older man. "We can leave by tomorrow,"

It was Luke's turn to speak. Squaring his shoulders and clearing his throat, he adopted the role of the politician he was trained to be. And he sure did a damn good job. "I've uploaded your contact information onto your datapads, along with the coordinates of the planet, landing site, hotel and everything else essential to this mission," He looked at Rieekan for approval. The general nodded his head in acknowledgement and encouragement. "The mission is rather simple; go to Ord Mantell to pick up our payment from our contact,"

"Who's our contact?" I inquired.

"A representative from Black Sun," The prince replied calmly. I gaped at him, my eyes widened in shock. Many people told me that if you didn't absolutely need them, Black Sun should _definitely _be left alone. But it was for the good of the Alliance, I supposed. It was my duty.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about this?" Han grimaced, running a hand through his shaggy hair.<p>

"We have to, Han," I bit my lip. "Of course I don't want to; I've heard some pretty nasty things about the Black Sun,"

"You and me both, sweetheart," He sighed, leaning back in the pilot's seat.

"What if the bounty hunters find you, Han?" I asked quietly, staring at my boots.

"Sweetheart, don't worry about me," He reached over and squeezed my hand.

"I can't help it," I said sheepishly. "I love you,"

Solo kissed my brow and helped me stand up. "Get some rest, Leia. It's a big day tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Solo quietly entered the bunkroom, his boots clicking on the polished floor. "Hey, sweetheart," Han whispered in my ear, gently nudging my shoulder. "Wake up; we're almost there," I mumbled something unintelligible and stirred, still half-asleep. "C'mon; you'll have plenty of time to sleep when we land," He kissed my cheek then headed back to the cockpit.

He was right, I supposed. It was just past dinnertime on Ord Mantell, and we were only meeting our contact in three days. I needed rest, and a lot of it. From the daily explorations to the flight sims, Hoth really wore me out. I guess I shouldn't have been complaining; I heard some people say that I was going to be promoted to commander of Rogue Squadron. I highly doubted that, of course, since there were much better pilots on the squadron, like Wedge and Luke.

I stretched and yawned, rubbing sleep from my eyes. To be honest, I didn't want to go on the mission. The fact that we were partnering up with Black Sun scared the hell out of me. If Han was worried, he sure didn't seem it. "I've dealt with these kinds of people before," He had assured me. "Trust me,"

I had simply laughed and shaken my head. "Gods, Solo, you know how much I hate it when you say that."

* * *

><p>The door slid open, revealing a rather small hotel room. It was sparsely furnished, but had the essentials; a bed, cooling unit, microwave and a desk with a couple of chairs. One door led to a closet, and the other led to the 'fresher. I inspected the rest of the suite as the pilot brought all the suitcases inside.<p>

I re-entered the main room once more. Han nodded towards the bed. "Looks like we're gonna have to share, sweetheart," He winked over his shoulder while lugging our suitcases into the room.

I let him get by with a simple roll of my eyes instead of slapping him like I really wanted to. "I guess it's your lucky day, _Captain_," I purred.

A wide, slow grin spread across his face, desire evident in his hazel eyes. He walked towards me, his hands on either side of my waist, pinning me against the wall. Solo roughly kissed my mouth, eliciting a moan from me. I tangled my fingers in his brown hair, pulling him closer. His lips trailed a hot blaze across my cheeks and jaw line, then down my neck. "Wanna test the bed out, Skywalker?" He nibbled on my ear lobe. His fingers toyed with the buttons on my cardigan, sending shivers down my spine. He picked me up and wrapped my legs around his waist.

"I dunno, Solo," I replied huskily, trailing a finger down his chest, unbuttoning his shirt along the way. His breathing became heavier, bringing a smirk to my face. I drawled, "The bathtub looked rather…_inviting_,"

He kissed me once more, desperately this time. One of his hands held me tight against his body, while the other played with my hair. "I'll be the judge of that, sweetheart."

* * *

><p>"You're joking!" Han gaped at me, his mouth ajar.<p>

"I'm serious!" I laughed at his reaction, splashing water his way with my feet.

"You've never been in a bathtub?"

"No! And I don't see a problem with that!" I tried to hide my grin by sinking deeper into the water. Growing up on a desert planet, I wasn't able to take a bath. It was always sonic showers, and a real shower once every year or so. _If _I was lucky. "There's a lot of stuff I haven't done, actually," I admitted, scooping up some bubbles and blowing them in Han's general direction.

"Like what?" He smirked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I've never taken drugs,"

"Understandable,"

"Never smoked,"

He snorted. "Not a surprise,"

"I've never had alcohol,"

_That _caught his attention. "_What_?"

"You heard me!"

"What-? Why not?"

I shrugged. "Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru didn't let me,"

"Three years have passed," He pointed out.

"Oh well," I stuck my tongue out at him, waving away the bubbles floating in the air. He hopped out of the tub, wrapping a towel around his waist as he ran out of the 'fresher. "Where are you going?" I called.

Han returned a minute later, two beer bottles in hand. He tossed me one, the cold bottle splashing water in my face as it landed half in my hands, half in the tub. Solo then tossed me a bottle opener. "C'mon," He urged softly, climbing back in the bathtub.

I pouted. "You're not trying to get me drunk, are you?" I teased, popping the cap off the bottle.

"Sweetheart, you're already taking a bath with me," He winked, my favourite lopsided grin on his face. I blushed, hesitantly bringing the bottle to my lips. The tip of my tongue touched the sweet liquid as Han watched in anticipation. "So?" He raised his own bottle up and took a swig.

I searched for the appropriate word. "It's…_different_," I said slowly, swishing the bottle around.

"You like it?"

"I guess," I shrugged. "I expected better,"

"We'll go out tomorrow," Solo promised, leaning against the tub. "I'll buy some better quality ones,"

"Han, you don't have to-"

He leaned in and cut me off with a soft kiss. "Anything for my girl, remember?"

I smiled against his lips. "And getting me drunk is good because…?"

* * *

><p>The holovid beeped loudly, dragging both Han and I out of our peaceful sleep. He groaned and reached over for the device, simultaneously slipping a shirt over his head. I grabbed my shirt from the floor and buttoned it up. I patted my hair, trying to smooth out my cowlicks. "Who would call this early?" I yawned, covering my mouth up with my hand.<p>

"It's Luke," Han grumbled back, pointing at the name on the holovid. "Not a surprise; that kid loves to check up on us," He rolled his eyes, waiting for a connection.

I chuckled quietly and shook my head. "Tell me about it. He couldn't wait for us to-" I stopped myself. There was no way I would tell him about me and Luke's little conversation.

"To what?"

"Never mind," I muttered, silently thanking the Gods when Luke appeared onscreen.

"Mornin'!" The prince chirped, a huge grin on his face.

"What do you want?" Han and I asked in harmony.

"How was your flight?" He avoided the question.

"Fine," Solo deadpanned.

"Good," Organa nodded his head once, his lips pursed. "I just wanted to let you two know you're going to have to meet your contact a day earlier,"

"The sooner the better," I replied confidently, betraying my worry.

"Glad you feel that way, Lieutenant Skywalker," The blonde offered me a small smile. He bowed his head. "Good luck."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, trying to make sense of what I was doing. My life was perfectly normal on Tatooine; nineteen years of normality. I wouldn't have been who I was without Ben Kenobi, that was for sure. But was that really who I was? Maybe I was born to be a farmgirl, and that was it. What if my life wasn't the way it was supposed to be?

I sighed, reaching for the tube of lipstick. It was nonsense. Maybe I was just going crazy. There was such a thing as destiny, wasn't there? Fate and destiny…and the Force. All of which Han didn't believe in, I might add.

I grabbed my hairbrush, admiring my long locks in the mirror. That's right; I finally succeeded in growing my hair out. About halfway down my back, I finally had a feature I was actually proud of. I supposed it sometimes got in the way of things, but it wasn't that much of a hassle.

"You ready?" Han's voice called, bringing me back to reality.

"Almost," I replied, pinning my hair up. He had decided to take me out to dinner and- of _course_- he chose the swankiest restaurant in town. I still had no idea where he'd gotten the credits from, and part of me didn't even want to find out.

I turned around as I heard Solo slowly walking into the 'fresher, his dress shoes clicking on the tiled floor. I smiled at his look of awe and affection as he stared at me. "You look gorgeous," He gaped at me.

I blushed. "You clean up nice, hotshot," I beckoned him to come over. He obliged, rolling his eyes when I reached to fix his tie. The pilot leaned in and kissed my nose, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"I love you," He murmured, capturing my lips in a soft kiss.

"I know," I kissed him back, lazily wrapping my arms around his neck. He grinned my favourite lopsided grin, my heart skipping a beat in response. I pulled away, my forehead resting against his. "Hey, can you zip up my dress?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," His eyebrows furrowed. I turned around and leaned against the sink, holding the rest of my hair up to help. I shivered when his fingers brushed the length of my back. I gasped as his lips came in contact with the sensitive skin of my shoulder, making a sultry trail up my neck. Han nibbled on my earlobe, pressing my back against his chest. I moaned softly as his lips came in contact with mine once more. The smuggler pulled away, a small smile on his handsome face.

I batted my eyelashes at him, feigning innocence. "What was that for?"

His smile widened. "Better stop lookin' at me like that, sweetheart, or we'll be late for dinner,"

I pulled him closer by his tie, my lips hovering millimetres over his. "Dinner can wait."

* * *

><p>"Hey," I reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "You're pretty quiet…you alright?" I offered him a small, reassuring smile, hoping to brighten his mood.<p>

"Yeah, I-I'm fine," He avoided my gaze, tearing his hand away from mine.

"Nervous about tomorrow?" I essayed, trying to hide my hurt and concern. I knew he could see right through me; he knew me too well. I just wished he was so easy to read. All that damn Sabacc made him and his emotions practically untouchable.

He sighed. "Yeah, but, it's not that," He ran his finger along the rim of his wine glass.

"What is it, then?" I pressed, cocking my head to the side. I tried to enter his mind with the Force, but I wasn't well trained enough. And, fine, I wasn't practicing as much as I should have been.

"Do you remember when we met three years ago?" Solo asked suddenly, leaning closer to me, his elbows firmly planted on the table. I nodded my head, urging him to go on. "We hated each other," He shook his head, an ironic smile on his face.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Your point?" I took a small bite of chocolate cake. I had no idea where he was going with this.

"Why did you hate me?"

"I dunno," I shrugged. "Probably because you didn't seem to care about…well, anything, really,"

"And you actually believed that?" His tone was sharp, stabbing me in the gut like a knife.

"At first, maybe," I said slowly, picking invisible flecks of dust off my dress. "Why are you asking me this?"

"I…I don't know," His tone softened. He ran a hand through his long, messy hair. "I was thinking about maybe going,"

I dropped my fork on my plate in shock. "Leaving?" I squeaked. "Leaving as in…leaving _us_?" We had agreed not to mention the Alliance while in public places, so I figured he got the idea. "You're kidding me!"

"I have a debt to pay off, you know that," The pilot responded immediately, as if he had rehearsed this entire conversation.

"Yeah, of course I knew that," I spoke quickly, anger building up inside me. "I just thought that when we started this relationship, you would stay,"

"I said I would _try _to stay,"

"That is _not _what you said!"

"You knew I was gonna leave sooner or later,"

"So now this is _my _fault?" I raised my voice, hot tears threatening to escape. I didn't even care that people were starting to stare.

"That's not what I meant," He gritted through his teeth, clenching his jaw.

"Have you just been stringing me along this entire time?" I asked quietly, my chin trembling.

"You know that's not true," He breathed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Then why are you telling me this?"

"I want you to be safe,"

"What about what _I _want, huh?" I bit my lip to keep from shedding any tears. "What if all I wanted was to be with you, and live the happy life I never even _dreamed _of having?" I finally gave in cried. Embarrassed, hurt and angry, I stormed out of the restaurant and out onto the streets of Ord Mantell.

"Wait, Lunah!" Han called, chasing after me, using my code name. No matter what a jerk he was, or how mad I was at him, I was still pleased that he kept our cover.

"Just leave me alone!" I spat, turning around. I glared daggers at him; he didn't even flinch.

"Why?"

"It's what I want right now."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

I practically ran to the hotel, never once looking back over my shoulder, despite Han's desperate calls. They eventually got quieter, faded away, as I covered more distance. He decided to give up. In defeat, he trudged back to the nearest bar. Probably going to drink his sorrows away.

Hot tears streamed down my face, my mascara beginning to run. I didn't even care about odd looks people were giving me; I had grown accustomed to those by now.

I felt so betrayed, so angry, so, so…_hurt_. I couldn't find a better word, so that'll have to do. But it pretty much sums up my feelings. He had been with me for three years, dammit. Three years wasted. I bet he was planning to leave all along. What I was curious about it why he waited so damn _long_. A part of me thought he just wanted to bed me. I supposed that could have been a valid point, but I was for sure not worth the wait. I mean…just look at me. Completely and utterly…_average_. He could get any woman he wanted, no doubt.

I sighed and entered the pass code, the door to the hotel room sliding open. I took a slow step into the room, my eyes blurry from the crying. Closing the door behind me, I peeled off my cloak and hung it up, my actions groggy and delayed. I collapsed on the bed and hugged the pillow, my composure finally breaking. My breath came in short gasps as the sobs continued, racking through my body.

After a while, I finally decided to take a hot shower. Hopefully it would calm me down, and take some stress away. As I stepped under the water, I realized with a groan that Han and I had to meet our contact tomorrow. I didn't want to see that Corellian one bit, much less pretend to be married to him, now that I knew he intended to leave the Alliance…leave _me_. I thought we had something special; no one had ever made me feel the way he did. But it wasn't real.

A tear rolled down my cheek when I decided I would just have to forget about him, forget anything between us ever happened. My life would feel empty without him, I was sure. But I would be able to focus on my friendship with Luke, the Alliance, my Jedi training, and Han could just go-

I lurched forward, a wave of nausea passing through me. All of a sudden, I felt extremely tired and weary. Must be from the crying, I mused. Come to think of it, my back was quite sore, and my breasts felt tender, too. It could have been from the stress, but…

An abrupt thought came to mind. Quickly, I turned the shower off, wrapped a towel around me and ran to fetch my suitcase. Tossing everything out of my suitcase, I finally found what I was looking for. With one hand, I checked the calendar, my pads in the other. _Kriff_.

No. It wasn't possible. My monthly cycle was a week late. I ran back to the 'fresher as another wave of nausea passed through me. I made it just in time; leaning over the toilet, I threw up, tears stinging in my eyes. I couldn't believe it. That _bastard _said he was safe! I took a deep breath, letting my angry thoughts go. I finally decided to accept the truth.

_I was pregnant_.

* * *

><p>I heard the door creak open, my head shooting up in response. My senses were on full alert due to the surprise. I threw off my towel, slipped into my clothing and reached for my lightsaber and blaster. I slowly opened the bathroom door, and pointed my blaster at the front door, waiting.<p>

"Leia?" Han's voice startled me, but he looked pretty damn surprised, too. Part of me was relieved to find out it was only Solo, but then I grudgingly remembered he was planning to leave, and he would leave me with his baby.

"Kriff, Solo, you scared me!" I groaned, tossing my weapons onto the bed. I glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize," He replied calmly, his hazel eyes boring into mine. I just noticed he was soaked; quickly glancing out the window, I noticed the heavy rain. "Can I come in?" I stepped aside, granting him access to the suite. "Look, Leia, I can't tell you how _sorry _I am-"

"Han, you don't have to apologize," I shook my head, crossing my arms over my chest and turning away from the smuggler. "If you leave…it'll be better for the both of us," I sat on the edge of the bed, holding back tears.

"Where the hell is that coming from?" He raised an eyebrow at me, following me and sitting down next to me. He took my hands in his calloused ones, and I didn't even bother fighting. I was too tired, and truth be told, I needed comfort more than anything. "You know my world would fall apart without you, sweetheart," The Corellian stated, tilting my chin up with his finger, forcing my eyes to meet his. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and, yeah, I'm not afraid to admit it," My cheeks heated up as I tore my eyes away from his. "Would you say something? Please?"

_I'm pregnant, Han. With _your _baby_. My mouth went dry. I couldn't tell him. Not yet, anyway. Not when I just found out merely an hour or so ago. I had to wait for the right time. I swallowed, trying to think of something to say. "I, um…so, uh, why did you say you were going to leave in the first place?"

He ran his hand through his wet hair. "I was stupid, and I completely regret ever saying that," His eyes locked with mine, and I finally had the heart to forgive him. He looked so innocent, so young, and so vulnerable. I ached for him, for his love. And I had a part of him growing inside me, something we made from our love. Sure, it might have been an accident, but I believed in destiny. Maybe the Force had this in store for us.

I reached up and traced my thumb over his lips, then leaned over and kissed the scar on his chin. "Han, you know I could never stay mad at you," He captured my lips in a soft kiss and laid me down on the bed. He laid down next to me and wrapped his strong arms around my waist, his mouth never leaving mine.

I inwardly winced as he ran his hand over my stomach. "You okay?" Solo asked, sensing my discomfort. A reassuring kiss from me was just the response he needed. Kissing my forehead, he murmured, "I love you, Leia."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

I woke up with a start, a wave of nausea passing through me. I jumped out of bed, leaving Han's warm embrace. I threw my robe on and practically ran to the 'fresher, making it just in time. I was still in a state of shock. I couldn't believe I was carrying a baby. It was so unexpected, and maybe even unwanted. No, that was crazy talk. The baby was mine and Han's, and I'd love him or her no matter what. I wondered if Solo would feel the same.

With a sigh, I stood up, my knees weak and shaking. I trudged to the sink to wash up, shivers running up and down my spine. I supposed it would have been a good idea to put on some socks or slippers; the ceramic floor was positively freezing.

I walked back into the main room a few minutes later, feeling refreshed, but still slightly shaken. I checked the chrono; 0800. Must have slept in, I mused. Our meeting was scheduled to be at 1100. There was still plenty of time to get ready.

"Han," I murmured, gently nudging his shoulder. "Wake up," He mumbled something unintelligible in response and rolled over onto his stomach. I whacked him hard in the back with a pillow, in hopes of getting his attention.

"Kriff!" He cried, falling to the floor. "I'm up, I'm up!" I tossed his boxers and trousers his way, an amused smile on my face. "What time is it, anyway?" He asked groggily, slipping into his pants.

"0815," I replied, nodding towards the clock. "Meeting's at 1100, so I figured we should leave at around 1030,"

"Sounds good," He responded, buckling his belt and his holster around his waist. "I don't know why, but…I've got a bad feeling about this,"

"It was your idea to go on the mission," I pointed out, brushing my hair. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

The smuggler laughed dryly. "I _really _wish you hadn't said that."

* * *

><p>"Where is he?" I groaned impatiently, checking my wrist-chrono for what seemed like the millionth time since we arrived at the cantina. "He should have been here half an hour ago!"<p>

"Relax, Lunah. He'll be here soon," Han assured me, pouring me a glass of wine. As much as I was annoyed me right now, at least he stayed in character. It relaxed me a little, knowing he was making an effort. He always came through, though.

"Alcohol? _Now_? Ha-_Tyrsh_," I corrected myself just in time, glad that the bar was almost empty, "It's not even lunch time yet," I gave him an exasperated look.

"So?" He shrugged, pouring himself another glass. "I'll get you something to eat, then, if you want,"

I looked around the dingy cantina. Every inch was covered in grease, filth and grime, and the people- and aliens- hanging around here seemed pretty shady. Who knows what they put in their food? And what about the hygiene in the kitchen? Eating here would most definitely _not _be my first choice. I didn't even want to consider it to be my last resort.

I knew he sensed my discomfort. "I'll pass," I said shyly, running my finger along the rim of the wine glass. I couldn't drink; I was carrying a baby.

His eyebrows furrowed as he slowly put down the bottle. I found genuine concern on his handsome face. "What's wrong?"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Nothing's wrong," I fibbed, avoiding his gaze. I hated lying to him. I especially hated lying to Luke; the prince could always see right through me. "Just not in the mood, I guess,"

As if on cue, a tall, Humanoid approached us, pulling a chair from another table. He had mostly Human features, except for the pointy ears, slightly yellow skin and bumps on the top of his bald head. His left eye was replaced by some cybernetics, which, I'll admit, made me quite uneasy. I wasn't a fan of cyborgs, nor of anything genetically enhanced. Especially clones. I heard about the Clone Wars, and I couldn't have been happier that I wasn't alive then.

"I'm Jaka Horcken," He introduced himself, his voice raspy. The Humanoid shook both of our hands with his gloved one. Captain Solo held onto the Black Sun associate's hand for a few seconds too long. He obviously thought something was up.

"Nice to meet you," Han said emotionlessly, releasing his grip on Jaka. Solo tightly gripped the wine glass. I sensed something…off about both my 'husband' and the cyborg. I'd have to ask him about it later. "Look, we've been waiting here for awhile; can we just get on with it?"

Jaka nodded his head. "Of course. I'm very sorry about that, by the way. I got caught up in…something else," I could tell he was lying through his teeth. I played along and offered him a sweet smile. "Would you two like to go somewhere a bit more…private?"

I exchanged a look with Solo. "Sure," I replied slowly, squeezing the Corellian's hand under the table for reassurance. "Lead the way,"

Horcken led us to a small room at the back of the cantina. It was extremely nice compared to the rest of the place; velvet couches, a marble countertop, with several bottles of alcohol resting atop of it. The window at the back had its curtains drawn, blocking the view of what I guessed was an alley.

"I'll be right back," The Humanoid told us, walking up to a bookshelf and carefully pulling one book out. The bookshelf swung to the right, revealing a secret passage. He continued forward, while Han and I watched, amazed.

The bookshelf went back into position a few seconds later, the room eerily quiet. I looked around for cameras or microphones, but I found none. I turned to Solo, whose face was painted with worry. "I have a bad feeling about this," I whispered, my hands shaking.

"You and me, both, sweetheart," He muttered, taking a seat on the couch. "He's lying to us," He stroked his two-day stubble, deep in thought.

"How can you tell?" I asked incredulously, sitting down next to him.

"He's a bounty hunter," Han grimaced. "His real name's Skorr; he probably just picked up this gig for Xizor or Vader," He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, something he always did when he was nervous or upset.

"How do you know?"

"Listen, sweetheart, when you have a price on your head as big as I do, you research a little. Get to know your, uh, competition," He paused, and looked around the room. "'Sides… why would a regular person carry around a miniature flame thrower?"

I did remember seeing something rather odd attached to his belt. "Maybe he's not even working for Black Sun," I blurted out. "Maybe Jabba came up with the plan,"

Han shook his head. "If there's anything Skorr hates, it's Hutts,"

Skorr returned almost instantly after the words left the pilot's mouth. He held a briefcase in one hand. He set it down on the kaffe table in front of us. The smuggler raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for an explanation. "The case contains some contracts, agreements…" His right eye twinkled in delight. "And of course, credits,"

I rested my hand on my thigh, where my lightsaber was stealthily concealed under my skirt. I smiled sweetly. "Just tell us what the plan is and we'll be out of your hair," Figuratively speaking, of course. I inwardly cringed as I took a peek at the top of his head. If us Humans had bumps like that, we'd probably be sent to the hospital.

He visibly held back a scowl. "Right away, pretty lady," His voice was laced with ice. Suddenly, he pulled small blaster out of his boot and shot at us. I shoulder rolled forward and landed on my knees on the other side of the room. Han jumped behind the couch just in time, the blaster bolt sizzling where his head was. He pulled out his own blaster while I pulled out and flicked on my lightsaber, the blue-white blade lighting up the dim room. I blocked each bolt with a swift movement of my weapon. Solo fired some shots at the bounty hunter, but Skorr was fast.

"You really shouldn't have done that, _Skorr_," The Corellian growled, shooting three rapid shots in the Humanoid's direction. "Vader hire you? Xizor? What would they want with me?"

"Oh, they don't want _you_," The cyborg said, feigning innocence. He dodged Solo's shots with ease. "Vader wants the girl," He pointed at me, a rope shooting out of his wrist. It wrapped around me, making me lose my grip on my lightsaber. The weapon slipping through my fingers and rolled to the other side of the room. I felt a sudden, sharp pain in both my wrists. I realized in horror that the rope was a kind favoured by bounty hunters; it had tiny needles that would target sensitive areas and inject a poison into the victim. Not only was it practically impossible for them to move, but they'd be knocked out within minutes. It was an effective method; it could leave people unconscious for up to 12 hours. More than enough time to get them in your ship and go into hyperspace.

"Over my dead body," Han snarled, shooting the bounty hunter in the foot. He cried out in pain and dropped his blaster. Skorr recovered quickly, slapping the blaster out of Solo's hand. It slid the length of the room, stopping at my feet. My vision started to become cloudy, my brain foggy. I drew strength from the Force. It didn't help much, but it was definitely an improvement.

"That's the idea," The bounty hunter deadpanned, grabbing the Rebel's blaster from the floor. "And it looks like he's gonna be killed with his own blaster," He chuckled dryly. "Oh, the irony,"

I noticed my lightsaber a couple yards away from Han. Using all the strength I could muster, I closed my eyes and concentrated on the object, bringing it closer to him. "Han," I choked out, tiny needles stabbing me in the back of my knees, making me fall forward. He met my gaze, his eyes wide in fear. I nodded towards the weapon. He quickly reached for it, rolling away from Skorr just as he took a shot at him. I bit my lip to keep from crying out in agony. The baby was the only thing on my mind at the moment. The poison was pretty strong; if it could knock out a full-grown person, it could probably kill a foetus.

Han flicked on the lightsaber, the humming noise deafening to my weakening system. The cyborg took a step towards him, but with fast reflexes and great aim, Solo threw the saber forward. The lightsaber landed right in Skorr's gut, sending him to the ground immediately.

Han panted and ran his hand through his long hair. I noticed his forehead was drenched with sweat. After a few moments of him staring at the dead body, he realized I was practically writhing in pain. "Leia!" He rushed towards me, a thousand emotions in his eyes. "You okay?"

"Ask me later," I laughed quietly, cut short by a fresh stab of pain in my shoulder. "Let's just get out of here, okay?" The smuggler nodded, reaching into his boot. He pulled out a viroblade, cautiously slicing away at the string. He cut all of it a minute later, revealing both blood stains and rope burns on my skin.

"Kriff," He muttered, brushing strands of hair from my face. He kissed my forehead. "Sweetheart, we've had quite the day. I'll bring you to the Falcon, go back to our hotel and get our things, and we'll go home, okay?" My spirit rose. It was such a funny thing, how he called base our home. Never in a million years did I think Han Solo would call the Rebel headquarters home.

I softly kissed the scar on his chin. "Sounds good, Flyboy."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

When Han returned to Echo Base, I was already waiting for him at the entrance. He hopped off his tauntaun and pulled off his hood and goggles, swishing his long, scruffy hair. He caught sight of me, a slow grin spreading on his handsome face. The smuggler bounded over and pulled me into tight hug. I pushed him away, wrinkling my nose. He furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips. "What?"

I couldn't keep a straight face. Laughing, I said, "You reek,"

He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Those kriffin' tauntauns,"

"Where's Luke?" I asked, suddenly aware that my best friend didn't come back with him.

"He went to check out a meteorite that hit the ground," He shrugged. "Shouldn't be too long," I nodded my head in response, a strange feeling in my gut, although it wasn't the baby this time, I knew. Something was wrong. _Very _wrong. "I'm gonna go freshen up, alright? I'll meet you back at your quarters in a bit,"

"Okay," I replied quietly, staring at my feet.

He kissed me quickly, his lips still cold from sentry duty. "Don't worry, okay? He'll come back soon,"

"Promise?" I asked sheepishly, my lips still only centimeters from his.

"Promise."

* * *

><p>"Where <em>is <em>he?" I exclaimed, pacing the length of my room. Three hours later, and there still wasn't any sign of or word from Luke. He better not have done anything stupid. That would have been so damn typical of him.

"I'm sure he's perfectly alright," Han said tersely, clenching his teeth together. I knew he was starting to get worried, as well. Hell, so was everybody on base, from the pilots, to the council. Even the droids were panicking.

"What if he's not, Han?" I snapped, stomping my foot.

"You know what? Fine," The Corellian stood up and made his way towards the door. He shrugged into his jacket and pulled on his boots.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" I gaped at him, hot on his trail.

"Where do you think?" He barked, straightening his jacket.

"You're actually doing out there?" I whispered, my heart dropping. If we lost Luke out there, Han could share the same fate. "Are you crazy?"

"He's our friend!" Solo protested, palming the door open. I was speechless. Just thirty seconds ago, Han was assured that the prince was fine. But now, the tables had turned. "He could be seriously injured; Leia, it's almost night time. There's no way he could last the night," Taking one last look at me, he murmured, "If no one's going out to find him, then I will."

* * *

><p>I couldn't sleep at all last night. I kept tossing and turning, my mind filled with horrid images of Han and Luke…<em>dead<em>. The baby was restless, as well. I felt kicks every few minutes, and his presence in the Force was unbelievably nervous and anxious. And, I admit, so was I.

I had tried to comm Luke and Han several times during the night, but the signal was dead. I prayed to the gods more times than I could count, wishing that the two would come back safe. I rubbed my belly and whispered reassurances to my baby, but deep down, they were really assurances for _me_.

I tried to reach out with the Force, to sense the Corellian, or the Alderaanian. Even a flicker of life would have given me hope. But alas, nothing happened. I kept on telling myself that it was only because my senses weren't developed as much as they should be, and that they were fine and they'd come home safe.

I wished I was a better liar.

* * *

><p>"<em>Leia<em>," The voice woke me up suddenly. I was drenched in sweat, the sheets wet and sticky. When did I even fall asleep? Rubbing my slightly swollen belly, I slowly got up.

I looked around the room, shocked by what I saw standing at the foot of my bed. "Ben?" I gasped, marveling over the glowing blue-white figure. He nodded his head. Thousands of questions floated through my mind. There was so much I wanted, no, _needed_, to ask him about. "H-how did you get here? What are you doing here?"

He obviously had no time for nonsense. "You will go to the Dagobah system," The Force ghost commanded, his tone firm. "There, you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me,"

"Ben, do you know how Luke and Han are doing?" I pleaded, reaching out to my old mentor. His form wobbled and shook, then faded away. "Ben!" I cried, wishing he could come back and help me make sense of everything.

Tears rolled down my cheeks, my throat tight and dry. I just wanted some answers, but instead, Obi-Wan Kenobi had visited me to make my life even more confusing. Falling back down onto my pillow, I closed my eyes and prayed once more. Perhaps Ben had heard my prayers, and that's why he came.

Oh well. The only thing for me to do now was to wait for morning to arrive.

* * *

><p>"Did they find them?" I asked eagerly, approaching General Carlist Rieekan and Major Bren Derlin. It was 0930 hours; I was <em>certain<em> they at least picked up a trail.

The two men shared a look, then broke out into huge grins. "Zev found them half an hour ago," Rieekan squeezed my shoulder. "They're on their way," I matched their grins, absolutely ecstatic. I gave each of them a quick hug, then sprinted toward the command station.

There, I found Derek 'Hobbie' Klivian and Tycho Celchu, among others. I ran up to the two Rogue Squadron pilots. "Can I comm them?" I practically squealed, a grin still plastered on my face.

"Slow down, Skywalker," Celchu chuckled, halting me with a hand on my shoulder. "They'll be here in a bit less than ten minutes, alright?"

"Go wait for them at the entrance," Derek added, a smirk on his face. He winked, his tone smug, "I'm sure Han'll want to see you first thing."

* * *

><p>"Han!" I squealed, running up to the smuggler. I almost knocked him over as I jumped into his arms, my cheeks hurting from smiling this much. I pulled off his hood and goggles and showered his face in kisses. "I'm so glad you're alright!" I pulled back and frowned. "You're freezing,"<p>

"I'm in better shape than His Highness over there, that's for sure," He grimaced, putting me down. He jerked his thumb towards the stretcher coming into the base. I gasped in horror. Even from afar, I could see that Luke's face was a horrid bluish-purple, cuts, scratches and gashes covering him. "I saved him just in time, the poor thing," He frowned, taking off his thick gloves.

"Do you think he's gonna be okay?" I whispered, fighting back tears. I couldn't lose my best friend; I could barely stand the thought of it.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Han pulled me into a tight hug. He kissed my temple, sending a shiver down my spine, not so much from the contact, but more that he was still kriffin' freezing. I noticed some light blue patches on his hands.

"Han, you should go to the medbay, too," I took his hands in mine, trying to bring some warmth back into them. "Just for a night. You've got frostbite,"

"It's not that bad," He muttered, pulling away from me. "They've probably got their hands full with Luke, anyway. The kid's gonna need a hell of a lot of bacta,"

"Please, Han!" I whined, grasping his wrists. "I was worried about you two all night; you think I'm just gonna let you risk your life again?"

He stared at me in silence, his jaw clenched tightly. After several moments, he finally let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. "Lead the way, Skywalker."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

As soon as I got the call, I hopped out of bed, a giant grin spread on my face. I washed up, got dressed and ate as fast as I possibly could. To my dismay, I wasn't permitted inside until they were fully recovered. Luke and Han both ended up staying for four nights at the med center; apparently Han's frostbite was worse than I had thought. I had only seen his hands, but it was also on his neck and shoulders, and if he stayed any longer out there, it would have gone down to his chest. His feet were also covered in frostbite. Thank gods they didn't have to give him cybernetic replacements.

I practically ran across the base, dodging and brushing past other Rebels, droids and machinery. I skidded to a stop in front of the medbay, almost tripping on the icy floor. 2-1B let me enter, and I couldn't cover up my excitement. I quietly slipped into Han's room, being careful in case he was asleep. "Han?" I whispered, my cheeks starting to hurt from smiling so much.

He winced as a med droid took his blood one last time, but a grin shortly replaced his frown upon seeing me. I walked over to the chair he was sitting in and I gave him a tight hug. "Hey, sweetheart," The smuggler murmured, pulling me onto his lap.

I noticed the stubble growing along his chin and jaw line. "You should shave," I mused, kissing his cheek. "How're you feeling?" I asked, brushing his scruffy hair from his forehead.

"Pretty good," He admitted, resting his cheek on my shoulder. I absentmindedly ran my fingers through his long hair, feeling incredibly content.

"I'm glad," I smiled, kissing the top of his head. "Do you know if Luke's okay? Where is he?"

"Yeah, he's doing well. I saw him earlier. He got called down to the command center a few minutes ago. Rieekan told him it was important,"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What could be so urgent? I just got commed that I was allowed to come see you two, but now…"

Han cleared his throat and leaned back, looking me straight in the eyes. "I think it has something to do with the Imps."

* * *

><p>"<em>The first transport is away<em>!" The voice boomed on the intercom. "_The first transport is away_!" Various cheers throughout the Rebel base could be heard, but I found no joy whatsoever. Luke, who had _just _finished recovering, decided to pull the hero act by staying on base, no matter what. He refused to take a transport. I loved him, but he was just so godsdamn _stubborn _sometimes!

I was dashing to the command center, and I'd do anything to get the prince back to the _Falcon_. Han and Chewie were prepping the ship, and Artoo and Threepio were making their way, slowly but surely, to the battered freighter. "Are you alright?" I shouted at the Alderaanian upon entering the small room. I tried to make my way over the fallen electronics, avoiding all of the tangled wires under my feet. Besides Luke, there were only about five other Rebels in the room.

"What are you still doing here?" He shot back, dodging some falling ice. "I told you to leave with Han and Chewie!"

"_Imperial troops have entered the base…Imperial troops have entered_-"

When I finally reached the prince, the baby was kicking violently inside me. "We're not leaving without you, Luke," I placed a hand on his bicep. He quickly looked down, then back up into my eyes. He barked a few last commands at his fellow Rebels, much too quickly for me to understand. "Come on," I urged softly, tugging on his arm.

"Give the evacuation code signal," He ordered the Rebels. "And get to your transports!" He jerked his head to the only way in or out of the command center. "You win this one, Skywalker."

* * *

><p>We sprinted to the hangar bay, silently praying that we wouldn't run into any of the Imperials. Of course, I had my blaster and lightsaber attached to my belt, in case the odds were against us. I hoped Luke had his weapon, also; I could always use the extra help.<p>

Turning around the corner, a sudden spark flashed before our eyes. I sensed that it would happen a second before it did. I pushed Luke out of the way just in time; we tumbled onto the snowy floor together as a pile of ice fell from the ceiling. "We must have gotten hit," I muttered breathlessly. I stood up and brushed the remainder of snow from my jacket. I went to inspect the pile the ice and snow made. "Kriff,"

"What is it?" He asked, plucking the snowflakes from his blond hair.

"The ice blocked the exit," I explained. "I'm sure I can cut it away with my lightsaber,"

He pushed me forward. "Just do it!" He snapped, whipping his head around. "They're gonna be here soon."

* * *

><p>"Done," I shut off my lightsaber and clipped it back to my belt. The hole wasn't terribly large, but we'd definitely be able to pass through. I wiped the sweat off my brow and brushed away the excess snow around it.<p>

"Ladies first," Organa smirked, helping me through the small hole I created.

I rolled my eyes as I helped him get pass through it. "I can't believe you still manage to have a sense of humor at a time like this."

* * *

><p>Finally, the <em>Falcon <em>was in view. We sprinted, careful not to slip on the ice. I heard distant blaster shots and screams. The air smelt of burnt flesh; I wrinkled my nose. My legs felt sore from all of the running, and the baby was protesting relentlessly.

I felt a dark, powerful presence nearby. It caused a bad feeling to arise in my gut. I looked around, keeping my hand on the hilt of my lightsaber, just in case. I heard the labored breathing before I saw him. The shiny black helmet was impossible to miss amongst the snowy white background.

The helmet looked in my direction; I swear, I could almost see his eyes staring right at me. I panicked, grabbed Luke's hand and ran faster ahead to the ship. The Imps missed us by a millisecond.

I collapsed into the seat behind Han. "Is she ready?" I asked anxiously, clutching the back of his seat.

"Almost there," He replied, his hands flying over the control panel. The belly canon dropped down and shot more than half of the Snowtroopers in the hangar bay. All of a sudden, he yelled, "Chewie, punch it!"

Vader's face- for lack of a better term- was still etched in my mind, and I couldn't do anything to get it out.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Set the coordinates for Sullust," Luke commanded, finally revealing the Rebel's next top-secret base. He held tightly onto Chewbacca's co-pilot chair, the prince's eyes focused on the Star Destroyer looming in front of us.

"I will once we get past these damn Imps," Han shot back, his hands flying over the control panels. "Flying a ship ain't as easy as it looks, kid,"

The prince hid his mouth behind his hand. "Apparently it's not that easy to keep this blasted thing in one piece, either," Organa muttered under his breath.

"I heard that!" Solo growled back, swerving his precious freighter above, under and around the monstrous _Executor_. I still couldn't get the image of Darth Vader out of my mind. I kept on seeing his bright red lightsaber slashing through my former master. I shuddered, trying to focus on the scene going on outside of the viewport. I saw another transport escape safely, which helped me breath a little easier.

My thoughts were now on Ben. I thought about his calming, soothing words he'd always tell me. A sudden memory surfaced. Obi-Wan, a glowing Force ghost, visiting me in my quarters, the night Han and Luke were out in the cold. What was it he said, again? I bit my lip in frustration as I tried to remember.

_"__You will go to the Dagobah system. There, you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me." _

My eyes snapped open. "Dagobah," I said, although I wasn't sure the others heard me. "We're going to Dagobah," I declared, louder this time. Three pairs of eyes stared at me. "What?" I asked defensively. "Ben told me that I had to go-"

"Leia, in case you don't remember, the old hermit is dead," Han twisted his lips, turning back to the control panel. He flew past the Star Destroyer with ease, while Chewie fired some shots at the incoming TIE fighters.

[He's been dead for three years, little cub,] The Wookie agreed softly.

"I saw him!" I protested, standing up. "I saw him while Han and Luke were gone!" I heard the smuggler mutter something about how crazy the Force is. "It's true!" I yelled, almost falling down after the Corellian pulled the ship all the way to the right.

"Prepare to make the jump to lightspeed," He ordered the Wookie.

"But sir-" C-3PO yelped, hobbling into the room. Artoo followed closely behind, twittering.

"They're getting closer," I commented, pointing to the TIEs flying towards us.

"Oh, yeah?" Han smirked. "Watch this!" He pulled the hyperspace lever.

"Watch what?" I shot back a moment later. Nothing happened. No lightspeed. _Nothing_.

"I think we're in trouble," Han and Luke said in harmony. Another blast from the Imps rocked the ship, sending me flying into the prince's lap.

"If I may say so, sir, the hyperdrive motivator has been damaged! It's impossible to go to lightspeed!" Threepio cried, frantically trying to regain his balance. Chewie roared loudly, obviously worried.

"Then we're in trouble," Solo confirmed, dashing to the lounge, with the Wookie in tow. Artoo followed the pair. That little droid was always up to something.

"What's on Dagobah?" Luke asked quietly.

"A Jedi Master," I replied matter-of-factly. "Ben's old master, actually," The ship suddenly rocked violently. "That wasn't a laser blast," I breathed. "Something hit us,"

"Han, get up here!" Organa barked into the comm. The Corellian returned seconds later, dry blood on his hand and head. "Asteroids," The prince explained.

Han slid back into the pilot's seat, and Chewie in the co-pilot's one. "Chewie, set two-seven-one,"

"What are you doing?" Luke and I asked at the same time.

The Alderaanian understood what Solo was doing a moment before I did. He gaped at the pilot. "You're not actually going _in _to an asteroid field-?"

"They'd be crazy to follow us, wouldn't they?" The smuggler deadpanned.

The protocol droid waved his metallic arms around, almost hitting Chewbacca in the head. "Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately three thousand-seven hundred- twenty to one!"

"Never tell me the odds!" Han fired back. We flew past several asteroids by the skin of our teeth. Most of the TIE fighters were blown to bits by now, although there were still a couple left. Luke rushed down to the turrets to finish the other two off.

"We're gonna get pulverized if we stay out here much longer!" The prince exclaimed over the comm. He shot one TIE, leaving only one left. The ship lurched uncontrollably towards one of the asteroids as the remaining Imp shot us in the engine. Luke, Han and Chewie muttered blue streaks of curses, while I held tightly onto the Corellian's chair.

"Captain Solo, if we get hit once more, we're done for!" Threepio proclaimed. Han ignored the droid and concentrated on flying away from the asteroid.

"Han?" I croaked, watching in horror as we were being thrown dangerously close to the asteroid.

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"I guess now wouldn't be a good time to tell you that I'm pregnant?" I heard myself blurting out.

"_What_?" The smuggler, the Wookie and the Alderaanian shouted at the same time.

[You're having a cub?] Chewie roared loudly. I nodded my head sheepishly.

"Please just tell me that he's mine and not-" Han was cut off as he was thrown back in his chair. _Lightspeed_! I had no idea what Artoo did, but frankly, I was too happy to care.

Chewbacca surprised me with a tight hug. I lamely hugged him back, but slipped out of his embrace a moment after it began- I still wasn't used to his hugs. [Congratulations, Leia,] He rumbled quietly, ruffling my hair. He leaned closer and murmured in my ear, [Han's happy about it, trust me,]

I offered him a small smile. "I hope you're right, Chewie," I self-consciously rubbed my slightly swollen belly. He patted my shoulder reassuringly and exited the cockpit.

"Han," I started off quietly, sitting down next to him. "What are we gonna do?" I reached over and took my hand in his.

He turned to look at me, his eyes softening as they met mine. "We're not gonna do anything right now." Solo gave my hand a squeeze. He leaned in and brushed my lips softly with his. "We're not gonna worry right now, alright?"


End file.
